Intermission
by thatmasquedgirl
Summary: A series of drabbles and one-shots that actually fit into canon episodes. Varying episode tags. Updates will be sporadic as inspiration hits. Taking suggestions, if you have them.
1. Determination

_**Intermission**_

**Title: Determination  
Episode tag: 2.21 "City of Blood"  
Words: 527**

**Notes:** I had so many feels about this scene in "City of Blood," so I had to write something to do with it. It's not very long, but it was fun. Anyway, I'll let you read it. :) Thanks! All reviews are appreciated.

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Diggle huffs after Oliver turns to leave the second lair, staring at the door for a long moment before saying to Felicity, "What do we do now?" They both just stare after Oliver, who is defeated in a way that they have never seen them before. Felicity is usually the one who can talk him into or out of things, but if her charm isn't working, Diggle isn't sure where to stand.

"I don't know," Felicity replies, sounding very defeated herself. But at least she's trying to think, trying to figure things out and see them through properly. "But I'm sure I'll think of something before tomorrow." Her voice is harder this time.

It takes her a few hours, actually, to figure something out. Diggle walks into the lair under Verdant to find her pouring through drawers and shelves, obviously digging for something she thinks is relevant.

"Can I help you?" Diggle asks her hesitantly. He isn't sure if he _wants_ to know—some of the stuff she does is dodgy, especially when she incapacitates someone with their cell phone.

"No," she answers, not even looking up, "I just need to find something..." A few moments of raiding compartments later, she asks, "Hey, what did we do with that tranquilizer gun we used on Barry?" Diggle doesn't miss the way she hesitates over the name, the stutter and the wince. Diggle sympathizes with her for a moment before remembering her question.

He knows better than to ask by now, so he just replies, "I think I saw it in the tool chest, underneath the defibrillator."

She goes to the place he indicates, finding it in the third drawer with the extra darts. "Here it is," she affirms. When he just looks at her with one eyebrow raised, she shrugs and adds, "I think I finally figured out how to get Oliver to listen to us."

"How is that?" a new voice says from the entrance, and they both turn to find Laurel Lance standing there, taking in the sights. It doesn't take long before she's focusing on the odd pair—two of the three that protect and defend the city. "And how can I help?"

Felicity frowns in a way that Diggle thinks is probably jealousy and feeling threatened, but, being Felicity, she swallows it. "We're going to stop him," she says flatly, holding up the gun.

"With a tranquilizer gun," Laurel replies, looking as though she's going to object to that idea. She crosses her arms over her chest for emphasis, and Diggle thinks she might be intimidating enough to be an honorary member of the team—with a little training, of course.

"With a tranquilizer gun," Felicity agrees, not about to back down. "Oliver won't listen to us—we have to do whatever it takes." She rolls her eyes. "Otherwise, he's going to hand himself off to Slade Wilson, and, well, that's not going to happen." She loads up a dart in the gun. "And I'm prepared to do whatever it takes. If you're not, you can walk away now."

"I'm in," Diggle replies solemnly. Then he just hopes they get to Oliver in time.


	2. Betrayal

**Title: Betrayal  
Word Count: 706**

**Notes:** Can I just say that I am amazed with all the love I'm getting on Technical Assistance-it's absolutely phenomenal. :) Thank you so much for all the 50 reviews! :)

NewObsession on FanFiction gave me this prompt-it was brilliant, and I decided to play around with the scene between Thea and Slade. Reviews are much appreciated, but thanks for reading either way! :)

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"If you leave now," Mr. Wilson says slowly, "you won't learn your brother's secret."

Thea can't stop herself from turning on the spot with wide eyes. The doubt is already warring in her mind, after only one sentence. Ollie doesn't keep secrets from her, right? After all, it wasn't but a week ago she told him he was the only one who didn't lie to her—and he just _stood there_. If he was lying to her, he would have looked guilty—wouldn't he? Then she clears her mind as she realizes it's probably just a ploy to turn her against her brother.

Still, the doubt and the sensation of not knowing make her take robotic steps back to the chair where she sat before, and she takes her seat, crossing her legs at the ankle. "What secret?" she asks casually, trying to play it as cool as possible.

Mr. Wilson must see right through her, because he just chuckles. "Probably the biggest secret of your life," he responds in that smooth, soft Australian accent. "One that involves your mother, too. You've been lied to all of your life, Thea. Of course, your mother had no choice, really—imagine what control Malcolm Merlyn would have had over her if he had known that you were his daughter."

Thea freezes in her seat. "What?" she asks softly, the breath knocked out of her. It can't be true, can it? She voices her next thought, mostly for her own benefit: "Robert was my father."

"That's what your mother let him believe," he returns easily, as if he's talking about the weather and not upending her entire life. "She didn't want him to know about her affair—and about the child that resulted." He levels an intense look at her. "And Oliver knows, too, but he's decided not to tell you."

"I don't believe you," Thea says flatly. Her mother may be a liar, but even she wouldn't lie about something this important—would she? And Oliver—well, her first reaction is that of _course_ he wouldn't tell her; he wouldn't want to upset her, and he wouldn't think it was his place.

"Of course you don't," Slade agrees easily, "because you're a smart girl, Thea. You shouldn't believe me—I've given you no reason to." He holds out a stack of papers. "But perhaps these will." Thea takes the documents from his hands, analyzing the scientific speak thoroughly. "You can read them if you like," he continues, "but they all tell the same story—you and Robert Queen show no relation at all. Oliver is your half-brother. Malcolm Merlyn was your father."

The last words don't help his case—whatever it may be. Oliver is her half-brother, and they only share a mother. But Oliver has _always_ been the best brother a girl could ask for, even when she hated him for stealing her drugs and judging her life choices. She thinks of how he whispered something in their mother's ear at her campaign speech, and how her mouth had set into a frown for a fraction of a second. Then she thinks of how Oliver put an arm around her and kissed her forehead, and she realizes that's probably the day he found out. But now she sees it in a clear perspective, and puts it all together: "He knew I was his half-sister, but he loves me anyway."

Slade chuckles as though she's told some sort of joke. "Of course he didn't—how could anyone possibly love the child of two mass murderers? He only pretended to love you, as did your mother. And if anyone else knew, they'd hate you too." He tries to put a hand on hers, but she pulls away. "I could help you, Thea. We could seek revenge together."

His words are only partially right in her mind—he brings to light her worst fears. Oliver doesn't love her—_Roy_ doesn't love her—and nothing will ever matter again. She doesn't need the likes of Slade Wilson—a psychopath—to find her revenge. She can do that herself.

She rises, throwing the papers on his lap. "You're a liar and a killer," she states, surprisingly calm despite the war of emotions in side, "and I don't need you." Before he can protest, she turns on her heel and walks out the door for the final time. Slade Wilson is a disease that eats at people in weakened states, and she will not become one of his victims.

But she will have her revenge—expel her anger—and both Oliver and Moira will regret their decision to keep a secret of this magnitude.


End file.
